Published by Potomac Books, an imprint of the University of Nebraska Press
Audible — Listen to an excerpt from the book
Audible — Listen to an excerpt from the book
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ABOUT THE BOOK
Born and raised in Tehran, Jacqueline Saper was eighteen when the 1979 Iranian Revolution transformed the country and the life she had always known. In From Miniskirt to Hijab, she recounts her childhood in prerevolutionary Iran and the eight years she spent living under the Islamic Republic, through the Iran-Iraq War and profound changes in daily life. Told through the intimate lens of family, faith, and identity, the memoir offers a firsthand account of a society in upheaval—from compulsory hijab and religious restrictions to war, motherhood, and the difficult decision to leave Iran with her husband and children in 1987. |
Why I Wrote the Book
Available in hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook.
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PRAISE FOR FROM MINISKIRT TO HIJAB
“Richly informative, From Miniskirt to Hijab captures a difficult time in Iranian history with honesty and candor. Saper demonstrates her love for the country of her birth while realistically discussing some of the challenges confronting a non-Shiite in a very conservative society.” — Mateo Mohammad Farzaneh, Associate Professor of History, Northeastern Illinois University “You transformed painful memories into something powerful and important, something that educates, warns, and inspires. Your book is not only a memoir; it is a reminder of how quickly a society can change and how important it is to hold onto truth, compassion, and freedom.” — Virginia Evans, award-winning author of The Correspondent “From Miniskirt to Hijab provides a memoir not just of Jacqueline Saper, but of a pivotal time in conservative Iran, and should be required reading for anyone interested in the social evolution of Iran and women's changing experiences and roles in that country.” — Diane C. Donovan, Donovan’s Bookshelf “This memoir by Saper has valuable insights for a wide range of audiences, both Iranian and non-Iranian. It could be adopted in literature courses focusing on Middle Eastern writing, women’s writings, and diaspora.” — Dr. Claudia Yaghoobi, Persian Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Winner — 2020 Book of the Year, Chicago Writers Association 
Finalist — Feathered Quill Book Awards 
Finalist — Eric Hoffer Book Award 
Finalist — Clara Johnson Book Award BOOK CLUBS & CLASSROOMS
Planning to discuss From Miniskirt to Hijab with a book club or class? Download the discussion guide for questions designed to encourage conversation about Iran, identity, religion, women's lives, and social change. |
SELECTED REVIEWS
The Times of Israel — Miniskirted No More
Reading Religion / American Academy of Religion — From Miniskirt to Hijab
The JC, London — Review: From Miniskirt to Hijab
Jewish Journal, Los Angeles — A Young Woman’s Spellbinding Journey
Hippocampus Magazine — From Miniskirt to Hijab
Kayhan Life, London — From Miniskirt to Hijab
Borderless Magazine — Chicagoan Remembers Revolutionary Iran
The Times of Israel — Miniskirted No More
Reading Religion / American Academy of Religion — From Miniskirt to Hijab
The JC, London — Review: From Miniskirt to Hijab
Jewish Journal, Los Angeles — A Young Woman’s Spellbinding Journey
Hippocampus Magazine — From Miniskirt to Hijab
Kayhan Life, London — From Miniskirt to Hijab
Borderless Magazine — Chicagoan Remembers Revolutionary Iran